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Sunday, June 29, 2008

Why I Grew To Like J.R.

By Mark Smith
Of the Journal
      Man crush?
    That’s how a trio of Baaaaahstoniaaaan silver throats (can’t quite call these guys golden) described my relationship with J.R. Giddens on Friday.
    The gang at 1510 The Zone, a Boston sports talk radio station, interviewed me about the former University of New Mexico men’s basketball star, who was taken as the final pick of the first round in the NBA draft the night before.
    They wanted the lowdown on the newest member of the Boston Celtics — i.e., some dirt.
    Apparently, there were more than a few stunned — and ticked off — Celtics fans when Boston GM and former BYU star Danny Ainge made the ex-Lobo his top choice.
    Understandable. After all, how many Easterners really got to see Giddens on that spectacular Mountain West Conference television package during the past two seasons?
    All most heard was that Giddens was a problem child at both Kansas and UNM.
    And they never got to know the real Justin Ray.
    The three radio dudes were fair, but surprised when I continued to heap praise upon Giddens for his maturation process.
    And this, despite my reputation as a “Lobo hater,” according to such experts as Ted the Schmo, the Burrito and Lobo tyke.
    “If that guy is the anti-homaaah in New Mexico,” one of the Boston dudes said after I was off the air, “I’d hate to see what a homaaah is like out daaare.”
    With Mike Roberts having been ousted, that title is now up for grabs. But I’ll send them a list of potential candidates. Believe me, there are plenty battling for it.
    Another member of the “young guns,” as the radio guys bill themselves — my, how clever — said it sounded like I had a “maaaan crush” on Giddens.
    He should have heard me a couple of years ago.
    Hey J.R., where’s Danny?
    One of my first encounters with Giddens was a memorable one.
    For all the wrong reasons.
    A transfer from Kansas, Giddens had to sit out the 2005-06 season as a redshirt. He took the sitting out part literally.
    More often than not, Giddens grabbed some bench time during practice because of a sore ankle, a blister on his toe, a hangnail or a bad burrito from lunch. It was always something, and then-coach Ritchie McKay did little but pamper the guy he said would “be a lottery pick” in the 2007 draft.
    When Giddens did practice, he showed gifted offensive skills. But defense? I watched former Lobo Mark Walters light him up on numerous occasions.
    Anyway, back to that encounter.
    I’m on press row, the old press row — the one reporters used to sit at before former AD Rudy Davalos made it a hot dog stand for the fat cats — writing a daily story on my laptop while watching practice. Some chubby guy who runs an Internet site is sitting next to me, feeling bubbly that he was allowed in to see his heroes. The harmless putz, so excited to be around, keeps yakking in my ear about Danny Granger and the Lobos’ narrow loss to Villanova the season prior.
    I’m just nodding and writing.
    “Hey! Do you see Danny Granger out here anymore?” Giddens — from his usual spot on the Lobo bench — turns around and snaps at the Internet guy. “I don’t want to hear anymore about Danny Granger. This is now J.R. Giddens’ team!”
    The chubby one’s face got beet red.
    “Uh, huh, huh,” he stammered, sounding like Beavis and Butthead while starring through the hole of a women’s bathroom.
    I told him, “say something to him.”
    Chubby was speechless.
    So I fired back for him.
    “You see that guy out there?” I barked at Giddens, pointing at McKay. “Do you think he likes to hear about Danny Granger’s name when he tries to recruit? ... Why don’t you mind your own business, watch practice, learn something about the game — and quit getting stabbed in parking lots!”
    The latter, of course, referring to his fight outside a Lawrence, Kan., bar, in which Giddens was knifed in the leg. Giddens later plead no contest to misdemeanor battery for his part in the altercation.
    After that practice, Giddens came up to me and told me he respected me for standing up to him.
    I hear France is nice
    Sure, there were many more problems along the way — especially during that dysfunctional 2006-07 season. Giddens had run-ins with coaches, teammates, fans, opponents and media.
    Myself a number of times.
    My favorite line that season came when KOAT’s Bob Brown was interviewing a particularly moody Giddens after one practice.
    “Come on, smile J.R.,” Brown said.
    “Just think of all that money you’re going to be making next year in Europe.”
    Giddens didn’t find it as amusing as we all did.
    Sure, Giddens was enigmatic. But he was always straight up and just plain likable.
    And when he looked to be hitting rock bottom last summer, he did what those with character do.
    He grew up.
    New coach Steve Alford had heard enough about the problematic and talented Oklahoma City native. Let’s face it, Alford wanted him gone. He didn’t even take Giddens on the spring exhibition trip to the Bahamas.
    Shortly thereafter, I saw Giddens in the UNM training room, both of us dealing with knee injuries.
    He had tears in his eyes as he spoke of the sincerity he had in proving his naysayers wrong.
    Five MWC player of the week honors and one co-player of the year award later, Giddens did just that. And he did it while gaining the love and admiration of his teammates, coaches, fans — and yes, even the media.
    Man crush?
    I wouldn’t go that far.
    It’s just a hell of a lot of respect for a kid who became a man —and did it in front of my own eyes during the past three years.